The Reds Tale
January 17, 2019
Newark High School
Email: thomas.roote@newarkcsd.org
Website: http://newarkcsd.org/Domain/84
Location: 625 Peirson Avenue, Newark, NY, United States
Phone: 315-332-3240
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nhsreds
Twitter: @Newark_HS
From the Desk of Mr. Roote
As we near Dr. Martin Luther King Junior Day and Black History Month it pleases me to highlight my pride in our diversity and growing cultural humility. We are working hard to better connect with all of our partners. I am seeing progress! I will humbly share that several of our school leaders are really setting the pace in the aforementioned areas at Newark High School. Their work is impressive: Mark Miller (Director of Grants and Special Programs), Julia Rodriguez (Family Outreach Coordinator), Danielle Ohlson (English Teacher/Its REAL), Eric Palumbo (Social Studies Teacher/Anti Racism and Educational Change), Katie Ganter (English Teacher/Anti Racism and Educational Change) and Amy Austin.(English Teacher/Anti Racism and Educational Change). It has been my pleasure to work with this team.
Most importantly, our students have identified a strong interest in taking on leaderships roles when considering our diversity. They are working hard among staff leaders and their classmates. The group is excited to integrate culture humility into our daily lives. As we work to create an ideal or desired state, we are very excited to recognize some powerful moments approaching us.
- Our student group, It's REAL (Rights, Education, Advocacy, Leadership), is excited to lead us at the upcoming Martin Luther King Jr. Day regional celebration in Lyons. That event includes a youth forum and march and maybe even a Newark High School student recognition (shhh)! Please see the "Document Sharing Space" below for more information as mobilizing support to enjoy this event as a collective community will strengthen us. Once again, please enjoy some or all of the day with us!
- It's REAL (Rights, Education, Advocacy, Leadership), under the supervision of Ms. Ohlson, would like to share their plans for celebrating Dr. King. Specifically, students will showcase Dr. Martin Luther King Junior as part of our announcements on Friday, January 18. The group will broadcast a short presentation (biography) about King's life and work for students to view and reflect upon. Let me introduce you to our It's REAL group: Tajhmere Greene (President), Avianna Logins (Vice-President), Naya Garcia, Elijah Griffin, Jada Emanuel, Cyquire Norvel, Victoria Ward, Deedra Norford and Travontay Murray.
I will close with a quote from a principal that inspired me when I had the pleasure of hearing him speak. Mr. Baruti K. Kafele says, "I'm asking you to think: What's your signature move? What's the one thing that sets you apart from everyone else?"
From the Desk of Ms. Ross
Mash Up
From Julia Rodriguez, "Last night at the Newark Prevention Coalition meeting, I leaned that a small group of students would like to do community service projects in and out of Newark. On Monday, the students are looking to do a community service project/job. Does anyone need help at any of the buildings with small projects or jobs on Monday?"
The Mash Up is off until Thursday, January 31.
In an effort to better manage our halls myself, Ms. Ross and Ms. Palmisano will be doing a bit more MBWA (management by walking around) during the lunch block. This week, I learned the following from students in the hall. In addition to what I learned, I have posed a few question that may prompt some deeper thinking on this topic:
- Four students were in the hall without a pass because they had yet to report to class. One student had yet to report to class eleven minutes into the class. I wondered if the teacher would apply our tardy to class approach outlined in our Code of Conduct.
- Two students had an arrangement to eat with a teacher. They didn't have passes and they didn't realize their teacher wasn't in her classroom. I wonder if students eating lunch with a teacher should be "held" until the teacher confirms their readiness to accept the group.
- Two students were on their way to deliver a handout to another teacher. I wondered if this could have been done during passing time or as a singlet and not a couplet.
- One student was "taking a lap". I wondered if laps during the lunch block reduces anxiety or increase it. Is there another way to help students manage their anxiety?
- Three students were on their way to the cafeteria vending machine. I wondered if adding more traffic to the cafeteria can be avoided.
- One student was looking for a bathroom. I wondered if this student realized he passed three bathrooms on his way to my location.
All told, I made contact with 40+ students. About 1/3 of them had a pass. What I learned is that it seems relatively easy to leave a classroom during the lunch block. Maybe the solution is to develop norms that suggest that hall traffic during the lunch block is restricted to teacher help, the bathroom and appointments. An interesting secondary outcome of my work here included a student response to an e-mail I sent to her teacher. Apparently the message I sent was shared with her. In the message, I questioned her whereabouts and included she gained my attention because of her loud shouting about how disgusting the school was. I learned later that she noticed a smushed stink bug on the floor. For those wondering, the northwest corner of the building seems to be a haven for stink bugs...go figure! As the student expressed to me how upsetting it was to be "checked on" she revealed a long list of planned and unplanned stops she intended to make upon her unscheduled exit from the cafeteria. I did my best to move her mind set from fixed to growth and explained the conditions we desire in our halls. In her case, we struggled to find common ground on what is considered "loud shouting". More to come...
Social Emotional Learning and the Plan for Excellence
Instructional Corner
The tools that may be used to gather evidence (e.g., students’ responses on a whiteboard or an exit ticket) are not what define formative assessment. Formative assessment is a process – part of the formative learning cycle best described by a series of questions that students ask.
Formative assessment is most effective in classrooms in which the learning process enables students to:
- Understand what they are trying to learn and the criteria by which they can assess that learning.
- Produce evidence of how they are doing.
- Receive formative feedback.
- Use the feedback to improve the quality of their work.
The information gleaned from formative assessments provides teachers with insights into their students’ interests and preferred ways of learning, enables them to monitor learning along the way, and offers the feedback needed to guide instructional adjustments and targeted instruction.
Document Sharing Space
Calendar Share
Tuesday's in the LGI: February 5, March 5, April 2, May 7 and June 4. Staff Meetings. Contact: T Roote.
January 17 and 31, February 14, March 14 and April 2. SELF Days. Contact: T Roote.
Wednesday, February 13. College Wear Wednesday. Future College Wear Wednesdays are: 3/13, 4/10, 5/8, 6/12. Contact: Sue Gardner.
Monday, January 21 at 12:00 pm (march) at Grace Episcopal Church Complex in Lyons and 12:45 pm (main program) at St. John's Lutheran Church in Lyons . Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration. Contact: J Rodriguez or T Roote
Tuesday, February 19 from 9:00-12:30 pm. FLCC Visit Day.
Friday, March 15. NHS Program/No WTCC Program. Contact R Ross.
Tuesday, April 30. Capstone Day. Contact K Ganter or D Barry
Close Up/Share a Pic
The Newark High School Mission, Vision and Values
The Newark High School Mission: We are a school community with deeply held hometown pride, committed to readying young people to be life-long learners with experiences aimed at continuously motivating us to hone our skills in the complex tasks of teaching and learning. Our community is devoted to providing supports for the aspirations of our adolescents as they mature into adults with ambitious plans for college and careers.
The Newark High School Vision: Staff embody the school values and impart confidence while providing an inviting classroom environment with clear expectations and specific academic and behavioral goals. Students embody the school values through intellectual and emotional perseverance. Families embody the school values while remaining actively involved as advocates for their children and supporters of the school programs and staff.
The Newark High School Values: Safe, Responsible, Trustworthy, and Respectful.
Email: thomas.roote@newarkcsd.org
Website: http://newarkcsd.org/Domain/84
Location: 625 Peirson Avenue, Newark, NY, United States
Phone: 315-332-3240
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nhsreds
Twitter: @Newark_HS